Shimshai The shining one, or sunny, the secretary of Rehum the chancellor, who took part in opposing the rebuilding of the temple after the Captivity (Ezr 4:8, Ezr 4:9, Ezr 4:17).

Shinab Cooling, the king of Adamah, in the valley of Siddim, who with his confederates was conquered by Chedorlaomer (Gen 14:2).

Shinar, The Land of LXX. and Vulgate "Senaar;" in the inscriptions, "Shumir;" probably identical with Babylonia or Southern Mesopotamia, extending almost to the Persian Gulf. Here the tower of Babel was built (Gen 11:1), and the city of Babylon. The name occurs later in Jewish history (Isa 11:11; Zac 5:11). Shinar was apparently first peopled by Turanian tribes, who tilled the land and made bricks and built cities. Then tribes of Semites invaded the land and settled in it, and became its rulers. This was followed in course of time by an Elamite invasion; from which the land was finally delivered by Khammurabi, the son of Amarpel ("Amraphel, king of Shinar," Gen 14:1), who became the founder of the new empire of Chaldea. (See AMRAPHEL.)

Ships Early used in foreign commerce by the Phoenicians (Gen 49:13). Moses (Deu 28:68) and Job (Job 9:26) make reference to them, and Balaam speaks of the "ships of Chittim" (Num 24:24). Solomon constructed a navy at Ezion-geber by the assistance of Hiram's sailors (Kg1 9:26; Ch2 8:18). Afterwards, Jehoshaphat sought to provide himself with a navy at the same port, but his ships appear to have been wrecked before they set sail (Kg1 22:48, Kg1 22:49; Ch2 20:35). In our Lord's time fishermen's boats on the Sea of Galilee were called "ships." Much may be learned regarding the construction of ancient merchant ships and navigation from the record in Acts 27, 28.

Shiphmite Probably the designation of Zabdi, who has charge of David's vineyards (Ch1 27:27).

Shiphtan Judicial, an Ephraimite prince at the time of the division of Canaan (Num 34:24).

Shishak I Sheshonk I., king of Egypt. His reign was one of great national success, and a record of his wars and conquests adorns the portico of what are called the "Bubastite kings" at Karnak, the ancient Thebes. Among these conquests is a record of that of Judea. In the fifth year of Rehoboam's reign Shishak came up against the kingdom of Judah with a powerful army. He took the fenced cities and came to Jerusalem. He pillaged the treasures of the temple and of the royal palace, and carried away the shields of gold which Solomon had made (Kg1 11:40; Kg1 14:25; Ch2 12:2). (See REHOBOAM.) This expedition of the Egyptian king was undertaken at the instigation of Jeroboam for the purpose of humbling Judah. Hostilities between the two kingdoms still continued; but during Rehoboam's reign there was not again the intervention of a third party.

Shittah-tree (Isa 41:19; R.V., "acacia tree"). Shittah wood was employed in making the various parts of the tabernacle in the wilderness, and must therefore have been indigenous in the desert in which the Israelites wandered. It was the acacia or mimosa (Acacia Nilotica and A. seyal). "The wild acacia (Mimosa Nilotica), under the name of sunt, everywhere represents the seneh, or senna, of the burning bush. A slightly different form of the tree, equally common under the name of seyal, is the ancient 'shittah,' or, as more usually expressed in the plural form, the 'shittim,' of which the tabernacle was made." Stanley's Sinai, etc. (Exo 25:10, Exo 25:13, Exo 25:23, Exo 25:28).

Shittim Acacias, also called "Abel-shittim" (Num 33:49), a plain or valley in the land of Moab where the Israelites were encamped after their two victories over Sihon and Og, at the close of their desert wanderings, and from which Joshua sent forth two spies (q.v.) "secretly" to "view" the land and Jericho (Jos 2:1).